Kutless Rocks at Worship
Posted October 20, 2017
By PhillFeltham_NRT, Staff Reviewer
It's true: the Christian music industry has become saturated with contemporary yet reverent worship tunes. Plus, rock has in some ways become an obsolete relic of the past. Many of us fans predict (and are hopeful) that rock will rise again. Jon Micah Sumrall, lead singer of Kutless, believes there is room for both. "I think a lot of people think that worship music and rock music are at odds with one another," Sumrall says. "A song is either a 'worship song' or a 'rock song.' I really believe a song can be both."
Kutless' new album Alpha / Omega exemplifies this fact, fusing worship and rock together. Kutless add guitar riffs to some worship favorites, such as Hillsong's "Cornerstone" and Natalie Grant's "In Your Name." The album's stand out song is the band's cover of All Sons & Daughters' "Great Are You Lord."
The album also includes a new version of their hit "Strong Tower." Sumrall says Alpha / Omega's musical approach is no different than their earlier efforts. "This new record has some very recognizable worship songs on it, but our approach to playing these songs were no different from any other song that we would play."
Besides the worship covers, Kutless included a number of originals on the record as well. Sumrall uses scripture as a lyrical foundation to write music, and at times, he adds personal experience as well. "'Shepherd of My Soul' is a great example of a song that was inspired by a well-known passage of scripture," he says. "The lyrics closely follow Psalm 23, but they also include some personal reflection on this passage of scripture." For listeners looking for a collection of songs with reverent lyrics, you won't be disappointed.
Similar to any album, there are musical setbacks: "Gave It All (I Surrender All)" and "No Wonder" are less strong tracks. However, they are still worth a listen at least once.
The Bottom Line: I applaud Kutless for again mixing guitar riffs with today's worship songs. The band moves away from a contemporary music sound to embrace their rock roots, paired with vertical lyrics. If you pick this album up, you'll get what you pay for.
Song to Download Now:
"Great Are You Lord" (Get it on iTunes here.)
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